Trashprinter: Revolutionizing Large-Scale 3D Printing with Shredded Plastic

The Trashprinter represents a pioneering leap in sustainable 3D printing technology. It is a large-format printer that prints using shredded waste plastic, significantly reducing reliance on costly traditional filament and addressing the critical issue of plastic waste destined for landfills. The concept was initially inspired by the Precious Plastics movement and the printhead envisioned by Sam Smith, the creative mind behind the Metabolizer project. He took the concept of the Precious Plastics injection molder, redesigning it using commonly found materials to produce a lightweight and repeatable design.

Darcy Neal played a crucial role in bringing the Trashprinter’s initial prototype to life. Neal’s expertise in CNC systems was instrumental in the construction and programming of the CNC controlled gantry, which formed the foundation of the Trashprinter‘s printhead.

Over several years, Sam Smith has iteratively developed various prototypes of the Trashprinter, refining its capabilities up to the current V4 printhead. Darcy Neal has focused on the CNC portion of the endeavor, bringing fresh perspectives to the V4 design. Their current focus lies in optimizing the printer’s settings, implementing innovative automation features, and pushing the boundaries of its printing speed and scale.

These experiments represent critical steps in a larger, dynamic project characterized by continuous evolution and a broad spectrum of goals. This ongoing journey is marked by a commitment to exploring new frontiers in 3D printing technology, pushing the envelope in terms of efficiency, functionality, and sustainability.

Future goals listed below. If interested, please reach out!

Some points of interest are:

-Developing a custom set of GCODE commands for various print processes.

-Automating the documentation of prints in real-time so that video footage is collected every time a print is run.

-Dialing in temperature profiles, feeds, and speeds to get maximum efficiency for the fastest printing.

-Printing a collection of useful objects for community use.

-Printing a series of sculptural objects in the pursuit of a low-impact artform that repurposes waste materials vs. producing waste normally seen in the process of creating sculpture. (more to come)